This invention relates generally to toys, and more particularly to a propellable articulating animal toy which simulates in realistic fashion the movement of a running or jumping animal.
Children enjoy the companionship of animals or pets. Dogs and puppies are extremely popular pets and the activity of taking a dog for a walk on a leash is particularly satisfying. Likewise, holding and cuddling a realistic stuffed toy animal is quite enjoyable.
A number of devices are known in prior art which have attempted to provide a toy which realistically simulates an animal such a dog or puppy in a walking motion across the ground. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,532 to Champion which discloses a push-type toy having animated head and tail. However, full realism is lacking in this device.
Another such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,697 to Pagano which teaches a push-pull toy in the form of a turtle having an animated head as it is rolled across the ground. Another such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,856 to Getgey which is in the form of a rollably propellable animated toy which eccentrically moves by a cam mechanism the top of a plush fabric cover.
A push-pull wheeled action toy is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,759 to Nagode in which the head of the device is made to bob up and down by rotating internal wheel-driven fins or cams.
The wheeled, eccentrically driven invention to Dunn disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,533 articulates a platform in alternate opposing areas so as to animate one of two toy figurines on the platform.
Other less closely related animated toys are also known to applicant as follows: U.S. Pat Nos.
Torres: 4,655,725 PA0 Sweet: 4,626,223 PA0 Reece: 4,329,809 PA0 Neufeld: 3,514,896 PA0 Lewis, et al.: 3,492,759 PA0 Glass, et al.: 3,130,518 PA0 Iwaya, et al.: 3,163,960 PA0 Abbott: 3,083,504
The present invention provides a child with a soft, cuddly animal such as a puppy which may be both taken for a very realistic walk and then removed from the housing for cuddling and as a night-time bed companion. The present invention also provides a manually propellable animal toy which produces extremely realistic running and jumping movement of the particular animal body as the toy is manually propelled across the ground.